“Just don’t try to sneak out on me, Cam,” Jude said as he snuck up beside them. “Had a tough week, and I plan on shutting this place down.”
“Don’t worry, I can take care of you and Sawyer.”
“Sounds like it’s been decided, then,” Ash said, turning to the bartender. “Rafe, you mind pouring another round?”
The guys shared some more shots before Carter mentioned something about stalking his latest prey and slipped away from the group. Since Carter had broken it off with the guy he’d been seeing while working on the autumn festival, he’d found plenty of guys who were eager to celebrate his newly recovered single status with him.
O and I continued catching up with everyone, making our way around the club. The night reminded me of so many of the parties and events I’d come to experience in my short time with a royal. I was growing accustomed to this expected mingling, and really, it had never gotten too bad—certainly not as it had when my brother had been running around the globe for his endorsement deal.
However, as much as I enjoyed getting to see everyone, Owen had only just returned from his latest trip to Parlaisa, and I selfishly wanted him all to myself.
“Did you get that email from Jude about our trip in February?” Beau asked Jace and Dax. “You guys think you’ll be free?”
“Hey, I want to come on the fun holiday trip with the guys,” I interjected.
Every year, the Saturgays went on a trip together, depending on when everyone was free. They went skiing, camping, scuba diving, and had a blast. And since Jace, Dax, and Carter had been fully integrated into the Saturgay crew, they were going to get to go on this awesome trip. I had to admit to being a little jelly.
“Aw, does baby Kruse want to come?” Linc asked with a wink.
“Once you can legally drink,” Jace insisted, tapping his finger against his cocktail.
“Excuse me, but I can drink in Parlaisa.”
“We’ll keep you posted on when the Saturgay crew is on your stomping ground,” Jace added. “But remember, just because you’re dating a prince doesn’t mean you get everything you want,kid.”
Kid?Ooh, he knew how much that annoyed me.
“Okay, bruh. Just remember next time you’re in my country that I can have people arrested and thrown into the dungeon.”
“Excuse me, did I heararrested and thrown in the dungeon?” Frederick asked as he stepped up beside us. He’d come to Fever Falls with Owen for the weekend. “I believe he meansdetained. He can have people detained.”
“But I can have him thrown in the dungeon, right?”
“Prince Owen can do that, yes.”
“So basically that means I can too.”
Jace rolled his eyes, surely knowing there was no way in hell Owen would ever lock any of us in a fucking dungeon.
Frederick said, “Looks like I’ll have to visit Fever Falls occasionally now that the prince is taking up a secondary residence here.”
“Secondary or potentially permanent,” Owen said. “But why would his ex-advisor need to spend more time here?”
“Because his ex-advisor, I like to think, happens to be a good friend as well.”
Owen beamed. “Yes, he is that. And I’m glad to hear you’ll be coming around some more. I can work online or travel when I need to handle my Parlaisan affairs. Plus, now that I have a replacement advisor, maybe she can pretty much run things the way my last guy did.”
Frederick laughed.
Owen and I had worked through many chats about our schedules. It wasn’t going to be easy, but we both knew the direction our lives needed to take, and that we needed to be together, which currently meant more time in Fever Falls with me, where he belonged.
The bar’s TVs started playing music videos, so our crew gravitated to the dance floor. I couldn’t say Owen and I were dancing as much as sharing some sort of intense grinding-make-out session, but plenty of the other guys were doing that too.
Even Casey and Steve danced a little too close.
Steve had one arm around Casey, who had his eyes sealed shut as he enjoyed the beat. Steve tugged him back so that Casey’s ass was against his pelvis. He slid his free hand down Casey’s side until Casey got to cracking up.
Steve had a way of triggering his ticklishness the way O was able to trigger mine.
